The Save Up
Lenary The Save Up (transcript): P1: - As soon as I could I ran to Toana and told her the good news. T: WHAT? YOU JAMMY FUGG! That’s amazing! How? L: I submitted a recipe and they loved it! T: What about samples? Pictures? A video? Grades?! L: It’s a provisional grant; I have to get above a certain average to keep it. T: Wow… and the rest? L: What rest? T: … (¬_¬) L: OH! The samples and what not! I wrote a letter explaining the circumstances and they were okay with it! T: Well, I guess everyone loves a charity case. L: and today that’s me - I beamed. Toana smiled warmly at my joy. P2: - My Mood was quickly dashed when I realized I still had to tell my dad. L: JIT! T: Wha? L: I have to tell the rent! T: yeah… so? L: What if he gets mad at me? (panic spread over me) T: Why would he be mad? - My mind flooded with EVERY possible way he could respond. Fear. I couldn’t breathe. L: I didn’t tell him I was applying! T: What? Why? L: I didn’t want him to be mad! T: (Toana looked at me like I was an idiot) Yes, and it’s not like he’d be mad at you for hiding stuff from him (she rolled her eyes). P3: - The ‘toner’ was back in… the official name for the stuff was ‘flavoured nutrition containers’. We called them toner cartridges ‘cause it was a bit of ironic ''slang. I hated it. Never understood the whole joke anyway, but it was still shorter than the official term. Then again we could just call them FNCs like the adults did. The bags were clear plastic sacks of different flavours, textures, and nutrients. In their stored form they looked partially digested but somehow they ran that '''jit' through the nozzles applying pressure and heat, or sometimes cold, and BAM: actual food. I sat nervously watching my food being made, mind racing. How am I going to tell my dad? What if he gets mad? He always talked about how proud he was of me and how glad he would be to hand over his job to me. But I don’t want that, I don’t want to be stuck here forever! …I don’t want to fail… '' ''P4: - I walked back to my place from the dining area, my stomach tied in knots. I was grateful when I realized dad wasn’t home. Why am I so nervous? - My dad walked in and I hid in my room for a bit until he called me for dinner. We ate together. He had picked up some nice food from the store. (I say store but it really was just a small kiosk and the only real place to buy things.) He knocked on my door. D: Hey, want me to cook? Or you want to cook? I know you’ve been down lately. L: I want cook… D: Oka- L: Wait! I want tell you something, don’t be mad, okay? D: Oookaay? - I stepped out of my room. He was just standing in front of my door with a worried expression. '''P5: L: Um… don’t be mad, but I applied for further, and I got in. Dad: Why would I be mad? L: It’s on Europa Dad: Oh… - My dad looked sad but beyond that I couldn’t read anything in his face. Dad: So you’re not taking over? L: I’m sorry D: I… why do you want to leave? L: Everyone here is stuck and even Toana thinks we’re all failures. D: We’re not failures. We do good work, work that if someone didn’t do no one would. L: If we're so great then why don’t we get paid better? D:… L: exactly Dad looked pained. P6: D: So you just what? Applied to some random further on Europa? L: No, I worked hard and barely got in! It’s on the Atlantis Catering Scholarship; Nereus Catering Academy liked my submission enough that they decided to get me a scholarship! Dad: Just like that? L: NO! I had to do jit tons of research and make a good enough recipe that it made up for not being able to send samples… AND I DID! Dad: Chill! I got it, okay? L: You know ACS only takes like 1000 people Dad: Freelz? L: Ja! And there’s only three of 50 catering/cooking academies in Europa that it covers. All three are high tier, and I GOT IN! Dad: K-rats! - I looked at him sceptically, why did he suddenly change his tune? P7: - I knew he wasn’t ok, and I knew he wasn’t as happy for me as he was making out. The entire dinner was eaten in silence. After dinner I went to my room and looked at the Ishtar MinesNexus (our local bulletin board) to see if anyone was looking for help on any jobs or anything else that might lead to some extra chit. Over the next few weeks I worked odd jobs saving up money. I mainly did hardware cleaning, a dirty and tedious job that was often handed out to kids who wanted some extra chit. P8: - Between homework and jobs I barely had time to hang out. Toana eventually found me under one of the delivery vehicles furiously scrubbing the undercarriage. She peeked under and waved at me. T: Need a hand? L: You’re not on the rota, you won’t get any money unless you OK it with the guy over there first. T: Okay, well we haven’t hung out in ages and you still owe me food so I figured I’d help you for free in exchange for some food. L: JIT, YOUR FOOD! - I smacked my head and Toana laughed. T: Look, I haven’t been seein' much of you and I get that’s 'cause your busy but when you leave I’ll miss you and only get to see you on the screen… so while I can I want to hang, and if that means doing jobs with you or just chillin' while you work then that’s what I’ll do. Starting today I’m your winger. - I swear when she said that I almost cried. I knew we were friends but it’s nice to be reminded. P9: - It was hard to balance earning credits and keeping my grades up, even with Toana helping. So naturally I was wary of meeting Te’Na’s mom, Alitia, when she finally messaged me asking to meet. I’m glad I actually went though. A: Hello, I know it took a while to contact you… but… never mind L: Whatitat? A: Well it’s just you see I’m leaving soon, I’m heading out to go back home. I’m from New Dakota originally. L: I think I applied there… A: You’re leaving, too? L: Yeah. A: Why? L: This place is depressing and I don’t want to end up like everyone else. P10: A: Ha… I thought like that when I lived on New Dakota. Only difference is I decided to run away and marry the first guy I met rather than take further. - She heaved a sigh and continued. A: You know if you need help with anything I’m off on personal time and would be happy to help you with your studies… I actually worked as a PR officer here for a while before having Te’na. L: That actually might help… it would make my Venusian history class a lot easier. A: The only other thing I can help with is maths. L: NOW THAT IS HELPFUL! It’s what I’m worst at. The other stuff I can handle but maths just ruins my brain. At least the maths we’re doing now. I like fractions. - Alitia looked at me and I realized how simple the last statement sounded.>.< A: Will you help me pack if I help you with maths? L: Of course, yeah. P11: - Between Alitia and Toana my grades and money were on the up’n’up. My maths grades went up, raising my general grade not only high enough to get the scholarship but high enough to get a low honours! (two honors, low and high. After that it’s pass, fail, or lowest fail. This is based on a grade average that uses the A.B.C.D.E. system). - Part of me wanted to take Toana with me; not only was she working the same jobs as me to keep me company, but also 'cause she decided to pay for the ingredients when I cooked for her. T: This way you can save enough to actually get to Atlantis in time. After all, even though I want you to stay, I’m not an asshole. (Paying at the resources centre: draw 7/11 style kiosk with sign saying resource centre) (pained smile) P12: - Sadly dad had become quiet, so dinners weren’t fun anymore. Every time I asked how he felt about me leaving he said he was happy for me… but he didn’t sound convincing. - This was another dinner spent sitting in silence. I couldn’t take it. I decided to confront him. L: well this is lovely. D: yeah… L: No! No it isn’t, ever since I told you I got into further you’ve stopped talking to me. D: … P13: L: aren’t you going to say anything? D: I’m happy for you. L: are you really? D: why wouldn’t I be? L: I don’t know. Why aren’t you talking to me anymore? D: I don’t know what you’re talking about. L: Fugg you don’t. Jit me, you’ve been actin’ like I jat on a grave or somethin’. D: Well maybe it’s cause that’s basically what you did do. L: WHAT?! HOW?!? P14: D: What do you mean how? Who’s gonna take over the family business? You are leaving me, and you’re leaving the family business! - The way he said it made me feel like someone had stabbed my chest. My breath caught and my eyes burned. L: I- I I’m not I swear! D: So? What? You’re just going to learn some fancy further and then come back? L: No… D: exactly… you’re leaving… why should I be happy about that? L: I’m sorry. D: I’ll clean up, - he said coolly, and with that the conversation was over. P15: - I was sitting with Alitia she was explaining some statistics or something. A: ...and that’s why this is 25%. L: mhm A: Also 25% is a number used by the illuminati to brainwash weasels. L: Wha? A: Just checking you were paying attention. L: To be honest, I wasn’t. A: Really? I had no idea. (Eye roll) P16: L: sorry. A: It’s okay what’s up? L: Don’t worry about it. A: You know that right now this (motions back and forth between the two of them) is the only thing keeping me from crying all the time. L: I’m sorry… A: Don’t be. Let me help. L: My dad’s mad at me. He thinks I’m abandoning him. A: Well, you kind of are… P17: L: WOW, so sympathetic. A: I’m not saying that’s a bad thing… but it doesn’t make it pleasant. L: What do you mean? A: We wouldn’t be here if it weren’t for people who left others behind… we’d still be on earth. L: C'mon that’s just sap. A: Doesn’t mean it ain’t true. L: … I guess … P18: - As I walked home from Alitia’s tutoring, I thought about what she said. L: Dad? (Dad isn’t home but some ingredients are out with a note) “Hey, babes, could ya cook? I’ll be out late with the crew” P19: - I couldn’t help but feel that this was because of our fight. (Lenary cooking montage about three panels) RING! RING! (Toana is calling.) (Lenary rushes to answer.) L: Whatitat? T: Wanna hang? L: Sure! Dad’s out and I’m making a big dinner; why donchya come over? (Sets table and puts some food away) P20: (Door opens and it’s Toana. Lenary motions toana to come in) T: Smells delicious L: Yeah, it’s something dad taught me, old family recipe I guess. T: Your dad likes cooking a lot, too. L: Yeah, but he sees it as a hobby, not a career. T: I guess… Have you tried talking to him about how you got your love of cooking from him? L: Ha! No! Haven’t had a chance; he’s too busy telling me how I let him down cause no one will take over the business after me. T: Ha. Tell him I’d gladly take over! My family does mining… the pay is like way less than you guys. (Lenary has an idea face) P21: L: That’s a great idea… T: I was joking, Le, you can’t fix everything you know. L: No, but it could totally work! D: What could totally work? (Dad’s at the door) L/T:… T: I should g- L: TOANA COULD TAKE OVER THE FAMILY BIZ. AND ALSO IT’S YOUR FAULT I LOVE TO COOK. (Dad looks puzzled.) P22: - As my dad stared blankly I wondered why we even ended up colonizing this fuggin planet. In history class they said sulphur was hard to come by so they colonized here for resources. It took a decade and change to build but with enough ‘volunteers’ (community service is always better than prison) it got done. People with no prospects moved in; a lot of them were ex-cons looking to start over, and we are their royal descendants. Toana finally broke the silence, and my train of thought. T: Really, I should probably go. D: How much do you know about hull work? T: Me? D: No, the giant invisible cat (¬_¬) T: Right… me, um… well… Whatever the teachers taught me… and… um… also, like, um… whatever Le told me about it. D: Le talked to you about it? L: Yeah, I liked learning about it, I told her everything I could remember learning whenever you taught me stuff. D: If you liked it so much why are you leaving? P23: L: Dad. I… - Dad pulls up a chair and fills Lenary’s plate up with food he starts eating. L: Dad – I… *face scrunch* I’m tired of your guilt tripping buljit. - T and D look at L L: I don’t have to stay in one place because you did and I don’t have do something just because I liked it. I like hull work, AND I like cooking. I don’t want to stay here and cooking is my chance to leave, AND I'M GOOD AT IT. Why do you want me to stay here even if it makes me sad? P24: - Pause and a look of shock on Dad's face D: I want you to be happy… I really do, but that doesn’t mean your leaving is going to make me happy. Great, your friend likes hull work and knows something about it. I’ll probably even give her an apprenticeship and if things work out who knows what happens from there. But that doesn’t change you leaving me. I’m not going to stop you, but I’m not going to be happy about it. L: *look of pain and thoughtfulness* P25: T: I really should go. D: Yeah, L will walk you home. L: But who will walk me home? D: You guys can have a sleep over. L: I don- T grabs L. T: Sounds great. P26: - Walking down the hall T: Your dad is hurt; he knows this is the best for you, but it won’t ever not hurt. He needs to be alone. L: He’s being stupid. T: Am I being stupid? P27: L: What do you mean? T: I’m hurt, too. L: I- well- T: Look I know we can see each other on the screen and maybe we’ll visit each other… but honestly you’re leaving to go somewhere VERY far away and that’s sad. L: I guess. P28: - We didn’t talk about it anymore after that, but something had changed. As I sat staring up at Toana’s ceiling from my sleeping bag, I knew that my dad and I might never see eye to eye on me leaving for further, but at least now I knew he’d love me no matter what and that would have to be enough. END CHAPTER TWO